Plugging in Baliís Neighboring Islands

Sub-Ocean Power Line from Bali to Nusa Lembongan to be Installed in November

(10/22/2012) The National News Agency Antara reports that the State Power Board PT PLN is targeting that new sub-ocean high power connections between Bali and near-by Nusa Lembongan will be in operation by the end of 2012.

The commercial manager of PLN for Bali, Tisna Gunawan, said on Friday, October 19, 2012, “This November, as soon as the ship arrives from China, we will immediately begin laying the cable.”

Tisna Gunawan explained that the 20-kilovolt submarine cable would span a sub-sea distance of 12 kilometers between Gianyar and Nusa Lembongan.

To date, the electricity demands of the 11,000 PLN customers on Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan have been met by two diesel-powered generating stations producing 2.5 megawatts. PLN also operates a solar power system on the islands producing 2 x 30 kilowatts.

Moreover, there is a wind-powered generating system in place with a capacity of 80 kilowatt, but the system has failed to generate optimal levels of electricity.

Meanwhile, request for new connection across the three islands continue to increase.

The installation of the sub-ocean electrical cable will consume Rp. 160 billion (U$16.7 million) and will reduce the cost of producing power by using expensive diesel fuel to provide the bulk of the island’s electrical requirements.